16 May 2007

Defeat of Easter Shop Trading Bill a victory for shop workers and their families

The union for retail workers is thrilled by tonight's defeat of a bill set to liberalise shop trading on Easter Sunday.

Laila Harré, National Secretary of the National Distribution Union (NDU), says the defeat is a victory for all those who saw the threat it posed to Easter activities.

"Tonight's vote was a recognition by Parliament of the challenge faced by low paid workers who organise their lives to suit the demands of employers in the 24/7 retail trading environment."

"Shop workers can rest assured that their Easter holiday is safe."

"The bill's defeat will preserve the precious days when shops are closed so we can all spend time with our friends and families, pursuing leisure, cultural and community activities. "

The NDU joined forces with other unions, church groups and MPs to oppose the bill.

Laila Harré said that NDU members were overwhelmingly opposed to any attempts to liberalise shop trading at Easter and she believed that this also reflected the view of most New Zealanders.

Notes

* 220,000 New Zealanders work in the retail sector, a number that is growing.

* Currently there are only three and a half days in each year when shops can't open: Christmas day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and the morning of ANZAC day.

* Shops are open on 51 out of 52 Sundays in every year.

* New Zealanders work longer hours than workers in any other OECD country except Iceland - partly because we work more hours every week and partly because we have fewer holidays.

* A recent UNICEF report puts New Zealand in the bottom quarter of countries for time parents spend with our children.

* New Zealand has a poor productivity record, meaning we have been very slow to improve our output compared to the hours we work.

* Shops in New Zealand are open for more hours of more days than in any other similar country.

ENDS

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